Brexit: Theresa May concedes UK is heading for European elections

THERESA May has admitted defeat over Brexit with the Government conceding that this month’s European elections will go ahead.

The Prime Minister had hoped to get her Brexit deal through the Commons in enough time to prevent the May 23 vote, but No 10 yesterday admitted that this just isn’t possible. A new deadline of July 2 has been set to complete this stage of Brexit.

Her de facto deputy, David Lidington, broke the news.

“Given how little time there is, it is regrettably not going to be possible to finish that process before the date that is legally due for European parliamentary elections,” he said.

“We very much hoped that we would be able to get our exit sorted and have the treaty concluded so that those elections did not have to take place.

“But legally they do have to take place unless our withdrawal has been given legal effect, so those will now go ahead.

“But we will be redoubling our efforts and talks with MPs of all parties to try to make sure that the delay after that is as short as possible.

“Ideally we’d like to be in a situation where those MEPs never actually have to take their seat at European parliament — certainly, to get this done and dusted by the summer recess.”

The SNP’s Stephen Gethins said the vote would give the people of Scotland “a chance to make clear they will not stand for Brexit.”

“It is vital that people across Scotland turn out, cast their votes and send a clear and resounding message to both the Brexit-backing Tory and Labour parties that Scotland should not be dragged out of the EU against its will,” he said.

The confirmed delay to Brexit will almost certainly incense Tory backbenchers.

Not only does it push back the UK’s exit from the EU, but it also delays May’s resignation as Prime Minister.

Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 backbench committee

She met with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs last night.

He was set to tell the Tory leader that she needed to set a date for her departure, If that doesn’t happen then members of the 1922 Committee have said they will hold talk about ways to oust May at a meeting tonight.

Her backbenchers are furious at the Government’s talks with Jeremy Corbyn, and the leaked reports suggesting that the Prime Minister is about to offer Labour some form of customs unions proposal.

Talks between the two parties continued yesterday.

Tory MPs are also furious at last week’s local election results, which were far worse than expected.

The party lost more than 1300 council seats, and all polls suggest an absolute drubbing at the European elections.

Grassroots Tories are planning to hold a motion of no confidence in May’s leadership on June 15.

Though not binding, losing the support of the the 800-strong National Conservative Convention (NCC), would be humiliating for an already humiliated leader.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, in Paris for a meeting of finance ministers, played down suggestions that the Conservatives were splitting over Brexit.

“The Conservative Party is a very broad church. Let’s be honest, Europe has been a fractious issue within the party for 45 years, but there are many other things that unite us and I am sure we will get through this, we will get beyond it.”

According to the BBC, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay raised the prospect of a no-deal Brexit during yesterday morning’s Cabinet.

Last month, the Scottish Government scaled down no-deal Brexit planning, believing it to be off the table until October 31 – the last possible date for Brexit talks in the extension granted to the UK by the EU.

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here